Choices II: The Reckoning
by CaroMio
Summary: We pick up where "Choices" left off. Charlotte has returned to L.A., after being missing for 4 months, and the Council is trying to find all the new Slayers still out there. It's been a year of peace, but peace doesn't last. Various Pairings.
1. Prologue

Please read **Choices** before starting this story, it'll make a lot more sense. Standard disclaimer applies: the BTVS/AtS characters belong to Joss. Everyone else is mine. Feedback is very appreciated.

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Choices 2: The Reckoning

_Prologue - _Previously..._  
_

One of the girls Buffy didn't know the name of picked them up at the airport. At Slayer Central, they were ushered into Giles' office.

"Buffy. Spike."

"Giles, you have 'end of the world' face. What gives?"

"We've discovered recently that Potentials are being intercepted before we can make contact," Giles replied somberly.

"By who? How are they even finding them?" Buffy queried.

"I imagine by the same methods the Coven is using to find them for us. I don't have to tell you how very bad it is for untrained Slayers to fall into the wrong hands…" he replied.

"I remember Faith in Sunnydale, Giles," she retorted.

"It's Wolfram and Hart, isn't it?" Spike guessed, though it was more of a statement than a question.

Giles narrowed his eyes at the blond vampire. "Yes. How did you know?"

Spike met the Watcher's gaze. "Simple. They want to tip the balance back in their favor, and they're slick enough to lure innocent girls into their scheme. Those children don't have any clue why they're suddenly fast and strong and receivin' nightmares, and Evil Inc. shows up with all the bloody answers. They'll swallow it hook, line, and sinker."

"Know all about that, wouldn't you?" Giles replied, antagonistically.

"Giles…" Buffy warned. She laced her fingers with Spike's, to make her point clear on whom she chose. Giles turned his attention back to Buffy.

"I called you here, Buffy, because we must get proactive about the situation. These girls must be brought in before Wolfram and Hart can corrupt their gifts."

"We've been locating them for two years, Giles. How many more can there be?"

"That is a fact we're trying to ascertain. In the meantime, we're dispatching Slayers in teams of two, the ones that are field ready, to any location a new Slayer is rumored to be. Only you and Faith…and perhaps Spike…are guaranteed to defeat rogue Slayers in combat, so we need you to take charge of the mission, along with Faith. Supervise the teams and join them if they encounter another Slayer."

Internally, Buffy's doubts about her decision to share her power reared up again. Had she really chosen to have Willow do the spell for the right reasons?

"I don't want to leave Dawn alone at home for an extended time," she said, though there wasn't much strength in her objection.

"I'll stay in L.A., Slayer. The Bit will be fine. Someone has to be around, anyway, while Angel's gone," Spike stated.

She turned to him. "Can't Connor take over? You're an asset to me."

He understood what she was really saying. _I want you with me._ "He's just a kid, luv. He's a good fighter, but he's not ready to handle the city on his own." _And I promised Angel I'd keep an eye on the pup._

Buffy nodded, knowing he was right. "So much for a fun summer," she pouted.

Faith was the go-to gal for the US, and since Buffy had some experience in Europe, Giles wanted her coordinating with the Slayers there. Xander and Willow were working with the African and South American teams, respectively. Before going back to L.A., Spike had an idea of where they could start.

"Home sweet home, eh?" Spike said to her as they disembarked the plane.

"Rome was never home," Buffy replied, taking his hand as she slung her carry-on over her shoulder. "You said you have a friend here?"

"More of a contact," he replied. "But I have a hunch she can help."

"_She?_"

Spike spotted the limo and tugged her along, Buffy quickening her pace to match his long strides. She always had to take two for his one when he got going at a good pace. He greeted the driver in Italian, who opened the door for them. Buffy was tugged inside before she could look around much. She was surprised to see a voluptuous dark-haired woman sitting there, though Spike didn't bat an eye.

The woman put out her cigarette and smiled. "It is good to see you looking well, _amico __mio_ And this must be your Buffy?"

Buffy had never liked how the Italians pronounced her name: 'Boofy'. It sounded ridiculous, and made Dawn laugh every time.

"Illona. This is Buffy Summers, Slayer." Spike then glanced at Buffy. "Illona runs the Rome branch of Wolfram and Hart."

"And we're meeting with her, _why?_" murmured through clenched teeth, glaring at her boyfriend like he was nuts.

"You took care of the Immortal last year. I should thank you for that," Illona interjected. "He was…a rival, of sorts."

"Glad to be of help," Buffy replied sarcastically.

Spike rolled his eyes and got down to business with the CEO. "We have it on good authority Wolfram and Hart is recruiting the new Slayers. Resourceful gal like you, I'm betting you know exactly who has their fingers in the pie, and who's heading the project."

Illona smiled knowingly. "I had a feeling this is why you called. Always business, hmm? How is Angeloos?"

"Same as always. But I'm sure you know that, too, pet."

The brunette chuckled. "Always good to be appreciated for one's talents…" She glanced out the window, considering. "I can help you. You have accommodations? I have plenty of room at my villa. It is free of big ears, so to speak."

"We have a place," Buffy cut in, squeezing Spike's knee just a little too hard to let him know she meant it.

Illona shrugged. "Very well. Call me in a couple hours, _bello_, and I'll have what you need."

_Yeah, I'll bet she will,_ Buffy thought. _If Spike thinks he's going alone…_

"Thanks, luv." They reached Trevi Square. "You can let us out here."

Illona wrapped her knuckles twice on the glass separating them from the driver, and the limo stopped. "Ciao!"

"Why did we get out here?" Buffy asked, as the car drove away.

"You're planning to stay at your old apartment, yeah?"

"Yeah… You know where it is?!"

Spike took her hand and started walking. "I told you we stopped by to see you when you were dating the Immortal…"

"Oh. I didn't think you'd remember just from one time a year ago."

He stopped and locked eyes with her. "I remember everything when it comes to you, Slayer."

She dropped her eyes and blushed. "Oh…"

Buffy let them inside with her key. It was early for a Roman summer night still, and Andrew didn't seem to be home. Framed sci-fi movie posters dotted the walls where she had once had a few cheap paintings.

"Andrew stays here alone, right?" Spike asked.

"As far as I know…"

He leered at her as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in. "So, he has a guest room just waiting and lonely…"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "We're supposed to meet your _friend_ in a couple hours."

"And what better way to wile away the time? You know you wanna…" he replied, grinning lasciviously. That tongue roll behind the teeth thing always got her hot.

"Well…" Buffy found they'd already wandered down the hallway towards the bedrooms while he'd been convincing her. Spike unerringly found the doorknob to what used to be Dawn's room and kept walking backwards through the doorway, nibbling on that spot on her neck that turned her into an instant lust puddle.

She straddled him as he fell back on the bed, and stripped her tank top off. In the months since they had first resumed this part of their relationship, they'd always had "making love" type sex. No matter how frenzied their foreplay might start out, Spike always slowed it down by the time they got to the actual deed. Oh, he always got her off a time or five, but Buffy was starting to wonder if he'd ever just take her against a wall again. She wanted him to feel free to just let go with her…and she knew why their sex life had started out different this time. _God_, she knew why, and she'd never felt so cherished or precious, but…

Thoughts of riding him at a gallop faded as Spike flipped them over and did that swirly thing around her nipple with his tongue. The way he could play her breasts, she could come just from that, and a couple times, she had. Buffy's eyes rolled back as he slid down to feast on her. She'd do anything he wanted if he just kept touching her…

His lovingly whispered_Buffy_ as he slid home never failed to make her heart jump.

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Buffy awoke a couple hours later alone. _Damn vampire! He did that on purpose…_ She hurriedly dressed and raced towards the door, just in time to see Spike come in with a takeout bag.

"Where's the fire, luv?"

She pulled up short and tucked her hair behind her ears, trying to look nonchalant. "Nowhere. I just thought, um… Did you already go without me?!"

Spike pulled an envelope out of his coat pocket. "In a manner of speaking, though it was only as far as the nearest alley. Had to be careful, you know. And I picked up dinner." He carried the bag into the kitchen, Buffy hot on his heels to get the envelope. "You raved about the baked ziti, so…"

"What does it say?"

His eyes twinkled with amusement. "Patience, Slayer. You can afford to eat first."

"But…"

"_Buffy…_"

"Fine. I'll eat, and you tell me what she had for us. Anyone in Rome I need to kill?"

"As a matter of fact…"

Illona had given them a single sheet of paper, a list of names. It detailed the name and office location of the project head, and all his subordinates. Buffy faxed the list to Giles. They only had a location for the man in charge, so they'd have to wait for Giles to start finding the others.

In the meantime, she coordinated with the European Slayers by phone and email, redoubling their efforts to follow up any hint of a "newly strong girl" in any town. There was a lot of work ahead, but it was a start.

The next night, Buffy and Spike flew out of Rome for L.A. For Buffy, it would be a short stop to pack a bigger suitcase and arrange a substitute teacher for her day classes, before she headed right back to London.

"This sucks," she repeated, pouting.

Spike kissed her forehead, then her nose. "It's only for a week, luv, then you'll be back enjoying the Hell-A sunshine."

"I know… It's just, it's summer, and I don't wanna be responsible… Why do I have to be the go-to Slayer?"

"Because you're the best," he replied with absolute certainty. "The time will pass before you know it, with all those meet-n-greets the Watcher has planned for you."

"Will you call me at bedtime?" she asked coquettishly.

Spike gave her his dirtiest grin. "I'll even tell you a story."

_"Last call for Flight…"_

He pulled her in for a short, breathtaking kiss. "Go. I'll be here in a week to pick you up."

Buffy smiled apologetically and hurried for the gate before the attendant closed the doors. She blew him a kiss as she boarded the private flight.

Hopefully, they were running out of new Slayers yet to be found.

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It's been four months since I told Angel to go home (in a note), and ten since I left Los Angeles. In the six months we'd been gone, I'd managed to harness what I could learn from the demon, and the changes to my brain. The benefit to having a metaphysical memory dump from all the Aurelians was that I had knowledge to call upon at will, if I could take that leap of faith and access it. So, I did, and I've taken care of myself.

And found the one person in the entire world that could help me. Well, demon. The semantics don't matter. He knew that I was coming, which was weird, since I didn't exactly ask around. I suppose you know lots of things when you have that much power.

I trekked to the caves under the cover of darkness – sunlight still hurt my eyes – and the big lug with his glowing eyes was waiting for me.

"I know what you seek, little one."

"Really? Saves me time asking, then. What do I have to do?" I asked.

"You've already faced your trials. I am prepared to give you your reward, if you still want it."

"Of course, I do. I never wanted the crazy bitch in my head in the first place."

"Follow."

Lurky led me deeper into the cave system. He judged me worthy, obviously, since I didn't go up in flames. Still, I knew to be wary of how he would interpret my desires. He stopped and pointed to a stone table.

"Lie down."

"You really like to chatter on and on…" I responded. I get snarky when I'm nervous. The look he gave me said he wasn't amused.

So, I complied and lay down. He touched that gigantic paw to my forehead, and _OW!_ Searing pain, then unconsciousness. When I awoke, I was back at the nearest village, and it was day.

At first, I thought he gypped me, for I still had the extra perceptive senses.

_Son of a bitch!_

_Our agent acted as was meant for you._

"Who said that?" I said aloud, though I knew my ears hadn't heard the voice.

_You know in your heart. You are our emissary._

"Couldn't I just have my life back? It's what I wanted!"

_And you can still go home, Charlotte._

I could. I was free. Different. New.

"So where does the newborn go from here?" I asked.

_Follow your heart. You will know when you are needed._

Bloody Powers That Be. Hey, the quote fits. Could they _ask_ if they wanted a seer? I could go anywhere in the world, but Los Angeles is tugging at me. We have unfinished business.

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Spike sat in his leather recliner watching "It's A Wonderful Life" on TV. It was two days before Christmas, his shopping was taken care of, demon activity was quiet, and he had a fresh six-pack of cold beer. One night to himself before two days of Summers' Christmas frenzy.

"_Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings."_

His doorbell rang suddenly, the old push-button type with an actual bell inside that came with the old building. He grumbled, set his beer on top the television, and opened the door, thinking it was probably Buffy. You could have knocked him over with a feather. He hadn't heard from the woman before him for four months.

"Hi, Spike," Charlotte said softly.


	2. Chapter 1

Choices II: The Reckoning.

Chapter 1 – You can't go home again.

"Hi, Spike," Charlotte said softly.

Her hair was much longer now, the front section clipped back away from her face. She wore a utilitarian jacket, tee shirt, and cargo pants, with boots. The look of an experienced traveler.

Several emotions ran through his mind at once. Shock and surprise that she was standing at his doorstep now. Relief that she finally looked healthy. Anger that she had disappeared for months without a word to anyone since.

Anger won out.

"Where the _hell_ have you _been_?!" Spike yelled.

She flinched. "A little of everywhere," Charlotte replied in a small voice.

"You run off by yourself for months – after leaving a little note for Angel – and that's all you've got to say for yourself?!"

"Can we…can I come in?" It was embarrassing to be berated in the hallway.

"No. You can say your piece from the doorway." Spike stomped back to his chair and picked up his beer, taking a generous swig.

Charlotte rolled her blue eyes and tried to enter the apartment, only to bounce off an invisible barrier.

"What is this?" was her shocked reaction.

"A general disinvite spell. No being is coming in my home unless I invite them in. Comes in handy for the undead."

"Oh." She sighed. "Spike…" Charlotte didn't want to explain herself in front of the neighbors. "This is ridiculous…"

"No one's stopping you from leavin', luv. Explain yourself, or be on your way. It's your choice."

"Where would you have me go?" she murmured.

He shrugged, not looking at her. "Angel's, your apartment, home to your mum…"

"You paid my rent?"

"Angel did. Part of his reparations. He's a regular saint these days…"

"Oh." _Guess he's more pissed off than I thought he'd be._ "I'm sorry, and I'm sorry for bothering you. Merry Christmas." Charlotte left using her full speed.

Spike went to the door and looked out into the hall, but she was already gone. He cursed at himself for being a dick and letting his anger get the best of him. They needed to know what had happened to her, and he might have just scared her into leaving town again. He shut the door, picked up the phone, and dialed the hotel.

----------

Charlotte felt really stupid. _Of course_, she wouldn't just be welcomed back with open arms. Not that her journey over the last four months had been all of her own choosing. Once the Powers had your number, they liked to use it frequently, having her anonymously help every Slayer between Africa and here. And she had to pay for the trip, which meant raising funds. She'd have to thank Spike for being such a good poker cheat, if he ever spoke to her again.

Fearing a similar response from Angel, Charlotte headed for her old apartment. The manager would let her in. _Spike probably still has my keys._ As she went to put the new key in the door, a figure stepped around the corner out of the shadows.

"Spike call you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"He thought you'd come here first," Angel replied. "Where've you been, Charlotte?" He was dressed in his usual black and long coat.

"That would be a long list." She twisted the key in the lock and opened the door. "Looks the same. Weird." She stepped across the threshold.

"I think Dawn stops by to do the dusting. Charlotte, it's been four months…you didn't have to go off alone."

Angel had that 'disapproving dad' tone down pat. She set her bag down and turned back to him. "I really did. You got me as far as you were needed, Angel, and I'm grateful for that, but the rest of the journey was mine."

He frowned. "You took most of my cash and left me a note that said 'Thanks for everything'."

"You obviously got home alright," she quipped.

His lips drew into a tight line as he tried to control his temper. "That isn't the_point_, and you know it." Angel stepped forward, up to the door barrier. "Three months ago, we felt you severed from the family. We thought you might be dead."

Charlotte's eyes dropped in shame. "Spike didn't mention that."

"Well, _I _thought you might be dead. He was hoping for another explanation. Care to share what that is?"

Charlotte turned on the light. "Have a seat," sighing in resignation. The barrier fell away; Angel stepped inside, and closed the door. He sat down at the other end of the couch. She paced as she tried to figure out how to start.

"Start with the day you ran off," he suggested softly.

"Right…um, I'd felt for about a week that I could function on my own. I wasn't…well, I wasn't _me_ again, but I could get where I needed to go…"

"You could have told me."

She shook her head. "You had a life to get back to. And…you weren't allowed the rest of the way. It was part of my test, that I could get there by myself."

"And that was…where?" he asked leadingly.

"Africa. To the demon that gave Spike his soul back. Well, he's kind of more than a demon, but that doesn't matter. Anyway, he was waiting for me, said I passed my trials, and to come inside to get my reward. I think…I think I _did_ die, kind of. I remember pain, then blackness, then waking up in a village during the day. Different."

"How did you know where…? Who said you had to do it alone?" Angel asked, trying to pick the right question.

"The Powers. That Aurelius download I got? It wasn't from the demon. It was just my first vision."

His eyes widened in understanding. "Oh my god…"

"Uh-huh. I'm your next Vision Gal."

Angel winced at the term.

She smiled apologetically. "Sorry…I don't mean to replace her," Charlotte added. "I don't even know how long I'm staying."

"It's alright. Do you know if…? Can you find out if she's happy?" he asked hopefully.

"I can try, but you know how they are about communicating." Angel nodded. "So, I'm myself again…well, the suped-up version, and I want to help out where I can."

"Do you know what they did to you?"

She shrugged. "Took the demon out, left some of the enhancements, added others. I'm still trying to work it all out. But please don't call me a higher being."

He frowned again. "That's kinda creepy."

"Tell me about it. I'm blocking the Darla and Dru years… Sorry. I can't help knowing what I know. Blame the Powers that Screw with us. Um…thanks for helping me keep the apartment, by the way. You didn't have to do that. So, what have I missed?"

Angel glanced up quizzically, before replying, "Uh, sure…Um, well…we fabricated a leave of absence for your school, since you were…"

"Not in my right mind. You can say it."

"…Ill, so you might still have something there. Talk to Willow. Connor and Dawn are dating, though they say they aren't. I don't get kids these days… Um, you really should just ask Spike…" he added awkwardly.

"He was pretty pissed off at me. I don't know how much talking we're going to do anytime soon. You and Nina still?"

This brought a smile from the vamp. "Yeah… And Buffy and Spike…"

"Oh, of course…and Christmas is a couple days away… I'm going to get an earful from my mother, too." Charlotte sighed and finally sat on the couch. "I really am sorry I made you worry."

He patted her hand, indicating he understood. "It's been a crazy year for all of us. I've seen worse. Don't worry about it." Angel stood to leave. "Charlotte…you're welcome on the team, if that's where you want to be."

She smiled. "Thanks, Angel."

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As Charlotte unpacked, she knew she didn't belong here anymore. She'd stay long enough to give them the vision from the PTBs, then move on. First, though, she needed to find a different place to stay. The apartment held too many bad memories.

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Seeing family for Christmas, for the first time since _last_ Christmas, was…weird. The truth wasn't an option, so Charlotte was running with a story of an overseas internship that extended beyond the summer. Thankfully, they were easily distracted by exotic gifts and pretty pictures. Except her mother.

"You ran off with a man, didn't you?"

"What?! No, of course not. Mother…how many times do I have to tell you? I'm not looking for romance right now. It was just a job." Charlotte carried her empty glass into the kitchen.

"And you're telling me that in all those beautiful locations, you didn't have time for a single fling?" she asked dubiously.

Charlotte glared at her mother. "I didn't _take_ the time because I had work to accomplish. There are more important things in life than dating."

"Honey, life is all_about_ love. I just don't want to see you end up alone…"

"Mom, I'm fine. I have friends, I have music, I have a calling… It's all good, okay?"

Her mother looked skeptical. "If you say so…"

"I really do."

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"So why didn't you invite her to dinner, doofus?!" Dawn admonished, once Spike finally admitted Charlotte was back in town.

"I…"

"Dawn, leave Spike alone. It's Christmas, okay? It's a yelling free day," Buffy stated firmly.

The gathering was a repeat of last year, with a few additions. Willow and Oz had reconnected, and Xander had a new girlfriend, a fellow Watcher named Julie. The seating arrangements had been shuffled to accommodate all the couples – Giles being the only one not attached. Buffy secretly worried about him growing old alone.

"I'm sure Charlotte planned to reconnect with her family, anyway," Angel suggested reasonably.

Dawn nodded, swallowing the hurt that came from not hearing from her friend. Connor squeezed her hand under the table, and she smiled gratefully.

"Who wants pie?" Willow interjected to change the subject. Xander answered immediately, which got the others focused in the dessert direction.

Spike sat quietly as Buffy got up to help Willow, lost in his thoughts. Angel caught his eye across the table. Spike shook his head, once. Nina and Angel exchanged a look, knowing the relative peace the group had known in L.A. was about to be shaken up.

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In the ten months since leaving Los Angeles in search of a cure, Charlotte's original apartment building next to the Hyperion had been rebuilt into luxury condos and lofts. And they had openings. _Coincidence, my ass,_ she thought as she followed the realtor on a tour. A loft in the back, against the alley was available, and it even had a small balcony. _Convenient._ She paid half upfront in cash (courtesy of a relic found and sold a while back), and began moving her things over as soon as her name was on the dotted line.

A quick reminder that both of her previous residences had come furnished.

"I really have to start planning ahead."

Charlotte traded the rental car in for a truck and went furniture shopping. The after Christmas clearance sales helped make it a relatively cheap endeavor. A sofa was being delivered, and the bed and sectional screens were in the bed of the truck.

She shook her head as she spotted the tail. Pulling into an alley entrance of a parking lot, Charlotte got out of the truck and waited out of sight for the car following her to stop. She yanked the driver's door open and pulled the girl out of her seat.

"Rude much?!"

"If you're going to follow someone, try not using a car with a personalized license plate." Charlotte let go of Dawn's arm and crossed her arms over her chest. "If I was a bad guy, you'd be dead now."

"You're not evil?" Dawn asked hopefully.

"What?! No, where would you get that idea?!"

Dawn sulked. "Well, why else wouldn't you call or come see us…"

"I'm not evil. As for anything else, well…I've had a lot going on."

Dawn snorted, rolled her eyes, and pointed at the truck. "Like shopping? I wasn't born yesterday."

"Yes, _shopping_, for one…I haven't had roots in almost a year. Stuff got neglected. I'm here, I'm sane…the rest doesn't really matter. Go home." Charlotte turned to walk back to the truck and leave.

"Four months of nothing!" Dawn argued. "That matters!"

"Go home, Dawn."

Dawn kicked the tire of her car as she was left standing there alone, still with no answers.

----------

The teen stormed into the studio later, interrupting a Spike/Buffy make-out session.

"Get a room," she snapped on her way up the private stairs.

The blonds exchanged a look. "I'll go," Spike said.

The sound of angry muttering drew him to Dawn's bedroom. "Niblet?" He always felt odd entering her room here above the studio. It held little resemblance to the teen girl's room in the Revello house, with its cues to her childhood. This was the room of an adult woman, and Spike was always afraid he'd see unmentionables lying about if he peeked inside. He preferred the stuffed toys.

She was shoving some clothes in a bag. "The 'new and improved' version of Charlotte? Not so improved."

"So you're taking it out on your clothes?" he asked, confused.

Dawn paused and rolled her eyes. "Nooo, these are hers…I borrowed a couple things while she was gone, okay?"

"Alright, but that still doesn't explain what's got you so riled up."

She blew a wisp of hair out of her face and sighed noisily. "I went to her apartment and followed her today…you know, to see what's up…"

"And you were spotted."

"_My_ story, thank you! But yeah…she saw my license plate…and told me to go home."

"Not the pleasant reunion you were hoping for, eh?" Spike said, as he took a seat on the bed next to her.

"No! She was all 'I'm back, I'm sane, it doesn't matter'…except that it does, cuz are we really sure she didn't go evil?" Dawn ranted.

Spike brushed the strand behind her ear that she'd been trying to move. "I don't know what's going on, pet…any more than you do, but the Poof seems to think she's on our side. For all his faults, he's not the type to get blindsided by a traitor, so I trust his instincts."

"How did everything get so turned around that Charlotte goes to Angel before you or me?" It wasn't fair. She hadn't made a lot of good friends post-Sunnydale, and to lose one to her sister's ex?

Spike seemed to be on the same wavelength. "I've been asking myself that for ten months, Bit. Let me know if you figure out the answer, hmm?"

---------

Charlotte dropped tiredly on the dark blue sofa she'd finally positioned to her liking. Her new home didn't have a lot in it, but it was comfortable enough. The high ceiling enabled the elevated position of the bedroom. She'd placed the opaque Japanese screens against the railing so her bed would be hidden from view. The bathroom was really the highlight of the place, with a large enclosed shower/tub combo, and ceramic tile. And since she'd bought the loft, a kitchen appliance package had also been included. Charlotte didn't anticipate cooking much, but it was a nice perk.

Everything was shiny and new, just like she was. Well, like her _body_ was. Her mind still held too many things she'd rather forget. Like getting raped every night in her nightmares for months. Or every atrocity the Aurelians ever committed, not to mention the vampires they spawned. She didn't know why the Powers insisted she know everything about them to help them – she would have helped Angel and Spike just based on the last year and a half. They moved in mysterious ways, the PTBs…

The wood floor was cold under her bare feet. It felt good, since she was always warm now since the change. _Ha! 'The change'…like I've gone through menopause. I could wish…_ Her windows looked out at the top floor of the Hyperion. She could probably leap to the roof from her balcony…if she wanted to…and heights didn't make her nervous. Charlotte pushed the doors open and stepped out on the balcony, the sudden cold stinging her cheeks.

"What am I here for, hmm?" she asked the sky.


	3. Time's Up

April Simms is a character of mine from another story, but since she's mine, she's getting a new role in this one. ;) Reviews much appreciated.

Chapter 2 – Time's Up

Africa – August 2005… 

_The first Slayer Charlotte ever saw in action was a tall tribal girl not too far from Lurky's cave. The girl hunted like a jungle cat, swift and sleek as she stalked her prey. Most of the demons out in the middle of nowhere on the African continent were non-sentient, or limited to rudimentary intelligence. They stuck to places they could hide, until humans wandered too close. The Slayer was savage in her kills, like she was barely less of an animal than the creatures she hunted. She hadn't been meant for this, and so while the Slayer stalked the demons, Charlotte stalked the Slayer._

_Their skirmish ended quickly. Charlotte had but to touch the girl, and she fell unconscious – an ability she didn't know she possessed until she knew to use it. Charlotte delivered the girl to the Watchers that had come looking for her, anonymously, and moved on._

The weeks and months that followed were filled with moments much like this. The Powers sent her a vision of a girl, and Charlotte would deliver the deep-sleeping Slayer to a Watcher or Slayer house. She didn't know the details of why these girls needed help, only that they did, and it was her job to facilitate that process. Charlotte managed to carry out these missions in secret, for the most part. She assumed there was gossip circulating through the Council by now, but she wouldn't know for sure until she asked.

But asking meant answering questions, too.

----------

December 27…

The Scoobies were to be in L.A. 'til New Year's Day this year, so Buffy and Dawn's was still a crowded meeting place. With Christmas over, chat meandered to Council business.

"When was the last Slayer discovered?" Buffy asked, setting down a tray of coffee mugs on the table.

"Nearly three weeks ago. I would almost hazard a guess that we've found them all, except…"

"We're never that lucky," Buffy finished for Giles. "If we assume we've found all the girls that hadn't been discovered, yet, how many might Wolfram and Hart have managed to pull in before we could get there?"

Giles and Willow exchanged a glance, before he replied. "We're not certain. Finding all of the former Potentials, to begin with, was always going to be a game of guesswork, as to their numbers, and that isn't even taking into account the girls that were too young to be called with the spell. We could be looking at more new Slayers as they reach their birthdays, or…"

"Or the Slayer line could die with all of us now."

"We don't know that at all, Buffy," Willow hastened to say.

"Those girls needed to be able to fight," Xander added.

Buffy shook her head, not so convinced. "Did they? Or did I do what was easiest for me, having Will do the spell? Looking back on that plan now…God, that was flawed. Putting the girls in that cave before the spell was even done, _hoping_ it would work before the Ubervamps spotted us? And in the end, it wasn't even…it was Spike that saved the day with that damn amulet…we lost girls for nothing that day, and now…There's a little girl who's _ten_ learning to fight vampires! That's not normal!" _I didn't think I'd live through the day, so I didn't think about the consequences of 'after'. _She stormed off downstairs.

Giles sighed a sigh of heavy burdens. "Meeting adjourned…"

---------

Willow ventured down to find Buffy beating the hell out of the punching bag.

"You didn't make me do the spell, Buffy. You can't take all the burden on yourself."

"Can't I? I was riding everyone pretty hard in those days to carry their own weight. Would you really have been able to say no?"

"If the spell had scared me, then yeah, I would have. We all thought it was the best way to win at the time. Nobody knew if the amulet was going to work, or even _how_ it would work."

Buffy back-spun to hit the bag one last time. "I know…but I can't help thinking 'maybe I should have told you to only juice up the girls in the Hellmouth', or…well, other things. Will, I did to hundreds of girls what I hated was done to me. The girls in the Hellmouth had a choice. All those other Potentials out there in the world didn't. We've already collected stories of where things went wrong. I mean, God…poor Dana…and the girl in Bolivia that was rescued from an exorcism. I've heard the whispers. Some of these girls are pretty angry with me."

"Buffy, what matters is what we've been doing _since_ Sunnydale. We were all scared, and running low on hope. Something had to be done. We either had to make those girls able to fight, let Spike go down there alone, or let the Ubervamps spread out of Sunnydale and into the world. Would you prefer a world where Spike was dead and you and Faith were still the Chosen Two? I could probably find you an alternate dimension…"

"_World_ of no. Do all leaders second-guess their decisions?" Buffy replied, sighing.

"Ask every head of state. My guess is a yes, unless they're one of those insane dictators. Which reminds me, I read this really interesting article on…"

"_Will…"_

Willow smiled, remembering whom she was talking to. "Right. I'll tell it to Giles."

"Thank you."

---------

"Our families are nuts, you know," Dawn stated, as she lay with her head on Connor's lap, in his apartment.

"And what brought on that stunning revelation," he replied, grinning down at her.

She giggled. He loved that sound. "Yeah, I know, it isn't exactly _news_. It's just more noticeable when they all get together again like this. And then there's us – two normal coeds."

Connor arched a brow. "_Normal_?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well, this right now is normal. Hanging out…alone…while your roommate is back home…"

He got the hint quick enough. In six months of dating, they had reached naughty touching of the third base level, but Dawn was still hesitant to go all the way. She knew Connor had 'been there, done that', and she also knew the luck of Summers women once they crossed that threshold, so she couldn't shake that fear of everything going to hell if they had sex. And she really, _really_ liked Connor. She liked learning his ticklish spots, and actually getting him to laugh. She liked how smart he was. And it didn't hurt that she could still wear heels around him, either. Or that he liked finding her ticklish spots, too.

So, really, it was inevitable. Just maybe not today.

---------

_Somewhere out on the streets…_

"So, you and Red, take two, eh? How's that going?" Spike asked his shorter companion.

"Different, but good. Same for you, so I've heard," Oz replied.

It had just taken a band t-shirt to strike up a conversation between the two demon hybrids months ago. Now, Spike looked forward to when Oz was in town, to talk with someone of common interests. There tended to be too much estrogen influence in his daily life.

"Understatement of the century, mate. Like night and day. But that was a year from hell for just about all involved. Still feels odd, not living on a Hellmouth. 'Course, L.A. still has its share of oddities and crises. 'S almost a relief to hear Wolfram and Hart is stirring shit up out there…it's felt too quiet since Angel destroyed their office."

Oz nodded in agreement. "It's been a different world, with all those Slayers. Traveling around, you could feel it. Like the whispers just got a lot more quiet."

"Demon world's gotten careful. The morons, the inexperienced…those girls are pickin' 'em off left, right, and center, and who does that leave?"

"The really scary ones."

---------

The next evening, Spike went over to Charlotte's old apartment, only to discover it was empty. He wasn't terribly surprised, but where did she go? He went to the Hyperion next.

"She's not here," Angel announced upon seeing his grandchilde walk in the door. "And I don't know where she's holed up."

"Figured you two were bosom buddies after the great Quest for a Cure adventure."

"Not so much," Angel replied, still jotting down notes.

Spike threw is hands in the air in exasperation. "So, what? We wait until she decides to prance through the door with some answers?"

The taller vampire shrugged. "Maybe. She knows the city and she can go lots of places we can't. She told me she wants to help out, so I'm sure she'll show up eventually," Angel sighed.

"What else did she tell you?"

"You should ask her. It's not my place to tell."

"Oh, now that's convenient!" Spike scoffed.

"Hey! Don't put me in the middle, Spike. If you have issues with Charlotte, take them up with her. Or don't. It's none of my business."

His shoulders slumped in defeat. "Fine. How's business?"

"You were here yesterday, Spike. Look, if you're just bored, can you not do it here?"

"Testy, Peaches…missing your fiber lately?"

Angel rolled his eyes and ignored the snipe.

"_Fine_. Buffy wanted you and Nina to know you're invited to 'watch the ball drop' on New Year's. Don't know why the lot would want to toss away a good excuse to party, but…"

"Thanks. I'll talk to Nina."

-------

_Former underground missile silo, somewhere in the Midwest…_

The auburn-haired Slayer walked purposefully down the hall to her CO's office to report the success of their mission. She knocked on the door, twice, and waited for a reply.

"Enter." The man glanced up from his desk, his eyes glittering with interest when he saw who had come through his door. "Miss Simms. Your progress?"

"All subjects bagged and tagged, sir."

"Any casualties?"

"Negative. My team is uninjured, and the subjects will recover in a couple days."

He nodded thoughtfully. "And did they have time to get a message off?"

"No, sir. We cut the phone lines before going in, and they did not possess radio capabilities. It was not a challenge…sir."

He smirked. "So, you want a bigger target…we've been impressed with your team so far. You're in luck. There's a location in Brazil, and we really need it neutralized."

She nodded. "Same orders as usual, sir?"

He shrugged. "Alive, preferably. Dead, not a problem." He handed her a file folder. "Our interest is in the leader. Do what you have to with the rest. This could be a big moment for your career, Miss Simms. I hope you do not approach this assignment lightly."

"We won't let you down, sir."

---------

Charlotte sat in her apartment, bored. The apartment was finished, nothing was on TV, and she didn't have work to do. She'd already tried sitting down at the keyboard, but her fingers didn't feel like playing.

Electronic ringing sounded from somewhere in the loft. Weird, since she hadn't had the phone service activated, and no one would know the number, anyway. The sound was coming from the closet, from the bag she'd traveled with over the summer. She rolled her eyes, unzipped a pocket, and pulled out the cell phone.

"What is it, Simon?" she greeted the caller.

"Well, that's a lovely way to greet someone. No 'hello'? No 'how are you'?" he replied, his voice still carrying a slight London accent.

She smiled. "When you gave me the phone, you said you wouldn't be calling just to chat."

"Youth these days are so ungrateful. You'd still be stuck in Egypt without my help, you know."

"And I'm very grateful. So, where are you? I hope you don't have bad news…Wait, tell me you're not coming to L.A…."

"I'm not coming to L.A."

"Simon!" That meant he was already _here_.

"Mind the ears, now. No need to squawk!"

"Please go home. I don't need help, and I'm not going to entertain you just because you're bored."

_Tap, tap_. "You wouldn't turn away a friend standing out in the cold, would you?"

Charlotte sighed, turning around to see a man standing on her balcony. "I'm only letting you in because it's a half hour to sunrise." She twisted the lock and opened the doors.

He kissed her on the cheek as he passed over the threshold. "Nice place. When do I meet those friends of yours you told me about?"

"Simon…"

---------

_Summers' apartment…_

Spike watched Buffy go through her pre-bedtime routine. "So, what does the Watcher brigade have to report?"

She finished brushing out her hair and reached for the hand lotion. "Nothing new. It's the holidays."

"I think the punching bag disagrees, luv."

"There's nothing_new_. Like I said. Remind me to go to the store tomorrow. We need alcohol for New Year's."

"Buffy…"

She hung up her robe and slipped into bed. "It's nice seeing everybody happy-coupley, isn't it?"

"Yes, but…"

"Even Dawn. I had serious reservations about her dating…well, anyone, but Connor actually seems to be good for her. She already has better college grades than I did."

"_Slayer…_"

"Spike, when something comes up, we're all gonna know, but right now I don't want to think about the next possible crisis. Let me finish this year first."

He sighed and turned out the light. "As you wish, pet…as you wish."

----------

_New Year's Eve, Los Angeles…_

2006 was fast approaching. Buffy and Spike had gone out earlier to celebrate the one year anniversary since their first date. The Scoobies were gathered above the studio, watching the TV specials. Connor and Dawn were at a campus party. Angel and Nina were enjoying a quiet night in alone.

It should have been the end of a tumultuous year with the promise of a new and fresh one. Until the phone rang at the Summers' residence while Times Square was dropping the crystal ball.

Giles answered it. "Hello, Summers' residence."

"It's started. The cell in Brazil is under attack. We're sending in reinforcements, but we don't know if they'll get there in time."

"Dear Lord…what is it? Demonic, magical…?"

"An assault team, origin unknown. Kennedy barely got word to us before the connection died. What should we tell the girls, Mr. Giles?"

"Keep this on a need-to-know basis for now. There's no reason to cause a panic."

"Yes, sir."

Giles hung up the phone and sighed heavily. Willow looked back and noticed his expression.

"Bad news?"

He joined Willow and Xander. "The Slayer cell in Rio has been attacked. We don't know their status."

"Wolfram and Hart?" Xander asked.

"Most likely." Giles sunk down on the sofa. "How do I tell Buffy we're at war?"

---------

In the next building over, Charlotte had dropped to her knees, tears flowing from her white eyes as the vision played through her head.

"Oh my God…" she sobbed, when it was over.


	4. Here We Go

Sorry this took a while. I have logistics to work out in chapter 4. All BTVS/AtS characters belong to Joss.

This fic is dedicated to Rabid Reject, hsloanx16, CarolM, and Celeste Avonne for requesting a sequel to the original Choices.

Chapter 3

"What did you see?" Simon asked Charlotte, once she had composed herself.

"You knew, didn't you? What's to come?" she accused.

He shook his head. "I was told I could be useful. All a soldier needs to know, really. You're the compass."

"Right now, I don't wanna be." She felt she might throw up.

Simon shrugged, unconcerned. "Right…end of the world again, is it? Seen a lot of those in my time. All flash, no payoff. Quite boring, really."

"Oh, it's not the end of the world…not yet. Just the end of the good guys. People I care about. It's just phase 1…" Charlotte scrambled to her feet and ran to her desk. "I need to write it down…"

He sprawled on the couch while she scribbled on a pad. "So, what are you going to tell your little friends? There are rules of disclosure, you know."

"I'll point them in the right direction and tell them as much as I can. The Powers can smite me later if they have to. Don't distract me."

-------

"Is there anything we can do for them?" Xander asked Giles.

The Watcher shook his head. "No…not until we know there are even a 'them' to help. Reinforcements were sent…all we can do is wait for news."

"Then don't tell Buffy tonight. Not unless we have to," Willow said. "She needs this holiday."

"Willow, she'll only be upset that we didn't tell her right away…"

"Just wait until we have concrete information. They're going to call back, anyway. We're all here."

"I agree, G-man. The Buffster is already on edge."

"Fine…but this is not my idea."

--------

Charlotte didn't want to be _that girl_ in this situation. The Powers had just put all this crap in her head, some that needed to be changed and some that had to pass, and _she_ had to decide which was which. It was going to be a hard, uphill road for everyone, and she was not looking forward to having this conversation. _Why me?_

"Because you have a connection, and they'll follow your lead."

She scowled at Simon. "I didn't say anything."

He grinned widely. "No, but it's written all over your face. Stalling won't really delay the inevitable. Your friends are on a timetable."

"I'm not stalling. It's New Year's Eve. I'm not going to break up their party."

"Is it really? How time flies. You get to be my age, you stop glancing at the calendar."

"What, older than_dirt_?" she teased.

"Please. I'm barely over a millennium."

"Well, you don't look a day over 800."

"Oh, now you're just patronizing me."

-------

_Somewhere in the air…_

April Simms sent a coded message to her superiors, then smiled at her team.

"Good work, ladies. Another group bagged and tagged for HQ. Any of you need medical attention?"

"Nothing a first aid kit can't handle. I wonder how many of these cells we're going to have to take out?"

"Don't know, don't care. As long as we get paid. It's for the good of the country."

"Of the world," the rest chorused.

--------

Charlotte waited until two hours after midnight to contact anyone, going over the information she had written down, and searching her memory for anything possibly missed. First stop, the Hyperion.

"Stay here, and don't let anyone in. No one knows where I live."

"Oh, so that's how it is. Ashamed to have me meet the family?"

Charlotte gave him a withering glare. Simon held his hands up in surrender.

"Yes, mum. I'll be good."

She locked the door from the outside and stomped down the hall towards the elevators, grumbling about facetious Englishman and their smart mouths.

The doors to the hotel were unlocked. _Very sloppy, Angel, unless you're still down here._ She came in through the front entrance, passing between the staircases and walking down the few steps towards the front desk on the left. She pressed the buzzer that alerted them of clients. Angel came down a few minutes later, his t-shirt on backwards, and with bare feet. He looked good these days, not so grim as when she'd first met him. She smirked.

"Did I interrupt something?"

"Charlotte?" He quickened his pace down the stairs.

"In the flesh." She smiled as he hastily turned his shirt around to the right side. "You left the door unlocked."

If he could blush, he probably would be. "Oh. Well, I was going to be back down here later…"

"Uh-huh. You, um, might want to get comfortable somewhere…I had a vision."

Angel's eyes lit up with a mix of curiosity and dread. "Okay…"

Charlotte paced. "A big one. Big enough that most of it is on 'need to know'. It's going to take everyone working together…"

"Alright, but why come to me first? Wouldn't it save time to tell everyone once?"

She squirmed. "It would, but…Buffy's group doesn't know me very well, and I need them to believe me. You already know how the visions go."

He leaned against the counter. "Tell me what you saw."

"A lot of dead Slayers, maybe all of them. The Senior Partners want the balance back in their favor."

Angel straightened his stance, ready for business. "Then let's go."

Charlotte shook her head. "It's the middle of the night, Angel. It can wait until morning. I just…want back-up when I do this."

"How are you holding up? Really." In the months they'd been searching for her cure, they'd developed a unique bond, and he still cared.

She sighed. "It's surreal…I'm not a part of anything I knew before, but I'm part of something so much more huge. The visions don't hurt physically, at least not in the skull-splitting migraine sense…but I know more now than I ever wanted to in a lifetime…" She trailed off, as words didn't do it all justice.

"What exactly did they give you, about us?"

"A lot. Your thoughts are still private, if it's any comfort. The knowledge came in handy, believe it or not, while I was making my way here."

"Can't be easy for you, knowing what we've done, and coming here…"

Charlotte searched for the right words. "It's…weird. But in spite of what's up here." She tapped her temple. "I also have what _I_ know, how you both have treated me. And seeing everything means that I've seen the recent _good_, too. You didn't have to help me, Angel, but you did."

He shrugged. "I owed you."

She smiled. "And I'm grateful." She glanced at her watch. "I'll let you get back to…whatever. You'll be awake still come daylight?"

He rolled his eyes. "We _can_ do that, you know. It's a misconception that we have to sleep all day."

She winked. "I know."

--------

Dawn and Connor were walking back to the dorms after the party.

"Do you ever get the feeling things are going too well?" Dawn asked.

"You mean, with us?"

She squeezed his hand tighter. "No! I mean supernatural-wise. In Sunnydale, this would be the calm before the storm that becomes Hurricane Hellmouth of Badness. Set to go boom in May or June. This time, that last year, Buffy was rescuing Spike from the First and killing her first Ubervamp. He could barely stand. I didn't know what to think about it then."

"How are they, Buffy and Spike?"

"I don't know. They make out a lot, and thankfully, I'm not hearing _noises_ at night… I guess they're good, but they never fight. Is that normal? Maybe I just haven't heard one, but they used to fight _all_ the time before."

"Maybe they worked out the cause of the arguments," Connor suggested.

"Maybe…it's not like either one is going to share, anyway. Ya think we can avoid the apocalypse indefinitely?"

"With our families, I'm thinking no."

"Bummer."

---------

This time, the call came on Giles' cell. It was already past 4:00AM, and he was back at his hotel room.

"Tell me."

"The girls are gone, sir. There are definite signs of a struggle, but it's unknown if they left alive or deceased. It was an extremely professional operation. The neighboring house didn't hear a sound."

"Very well. Gather the girls' property. The Coven might be able to discern their fates."

"Yes, sir."

Giles ended the call and placed the phone back on the nightstand, running a hand over his face. A random demon attack would have left casualties or bodies. Same with mercenaries. It appeared that Wolfram and Hart were no longer content with picking up stragglers here and there. By striking at an established Slayer cell, they'd just openly declared war.

--------

January 1st, 2006…

"Good morning."

"Did you get any sleep?" Angel asked, as Charlotte ventured further into the lobby.

"Not really. I don't need much these days, though."

"How do you want to do this, call Buffy and have her gather the others?"

She shook her head and handed him an address. "There are things Mr. Giles needs to hear first."

Though it was cloudy, Angel was thankful he'd had the windows in the Plymouth necro-treated.

_An hour later, in a hotel room…_

"You're absolutely certain there's no other way?" Giles asked.

"As a heart attack. If there's another solution, they haven't revealed it to me. For this to be over, balance must be restored," Charlotte replied. "But we have time. The important thing right now is to find those girls and bring them to safety. Wolfram and Hart has them scattered around the globe, so you'll need several teams, preferably with at least one member that can sense Slayers."

"You'll need people good with magic, too. Wolfram and Hart won't just use physical protection for those buildings," Angel added.

"How fortunate that we have your wealth of experience with them, then," Giles coolly replied.

"Hey! It's _crucial_ that everyone works together on this! Save the personal grievances for _after_ we save the world, huh?!"

"My apologies, Miss Taylor. Please continue."

She handed him a slip of paper. "These are the locations I saw. Form the teams as you see best, but do it soon. They'll keep kidnapping your girls."

Angel and Charlotte left the Head Watcher to make his plans. She told her companion he could go back to the Hyperion.

"Thanks for your help. Get some sleep."

"And then what?"

"We see what Mr. Giles has to report."

---------

Charlotte entered her darkened apartment to the sounds of show tunes from a boisterous Englishman.

"Finish your errand, dear? I made waffles."

She shook her head as she sat down. "You are the weirdest British vampire I've ever met, Simon."

"Out of how many?" He set a plate with a fried blob on it in front of her.

"That's not a waffle. And two."

"Well, it would be if you had one of those press irons. I thought every American had one of those things? How ever have you survived?" he cheekily replied.

"I ate out. And Mom has one. What recipe did you use?"

That charming, irascible grin was still in place. "It was in the book. I'm not completely inept in a kitchen, you know. Kept you fed."

"With meat kabobs and stolen fruit. Doesn't make you a culinary genius." Charlotte hesitantly took a small bite. "Could be worse. I hope you cleaned up the mess…"

He winked. "Yes, Mum. Can I fetch your slippers, perhaps, or the latest news edition?"

She grinned. "I rather like the idea of you being the house boy."

"You _would_."

--------

After dark, Charlotte suddenly stood and went to the closet to grab her coat.

"Where are you going?" Simon asked.

"It's time for the meeting."

Thoughts? Complaints? I know you guys are reading, out there, but there have been no reviews. They feed the muse, hmm, so please?


	5. Got A Plan?

An update! I know it's been forever and I'm so sorry about that. I hope you'll review, they make my day. Thanks - Caro Mio

--

Chapter 4 – Got A Plan?

"It's time for the meeting." Charlotte grabbed her keys and opened the front door to leave. "I know you're probably going to follow me, so please stay out of sight? They won't hesitate to dust first, ask questions later."

"How charming. Don't worry, they won't have a clue I'm listening in."

"Two words, Simon: Vampire. Slayer."

"Oh."

--

Entering the Hyperion, Charlotte was greeted by several faces. She'd seen them all in the vision, but to actually see them gathered in one place was…daunting. One thing for certain, Mr. Giles was a resourceful man. To gather an assembly in just hours…there was no denying how dedicated his staff was. She stopped at the base of the steps, wearing a black trench coat and gloves.

"Ah, Miss Taylor, good," Mr. Giles greeted her. He was marking a large world map on a board with little flags.

"What's the what, Giles?" the senior Slayer interrupted. Buffy sat on the reception counter, swinging her legs impatiently. Spike stood at her side.

"I was waiting for Miss Taylor, Buffy. Now that she has arrived, I'll explain what we're all doing here."

All eyes swiveled to Charlotte, then back to Giles.

"I'll start at the beginning. Some of you already know of the Powers That Be and Wolfram and Hart. Think of the PTBs and the Senior Partners as two sides of the same coin. They both sit outside this dimension, looking in, and for millennia, there was always a balance between the two sides. The PTBs took an arms' length approach to humanity – they like to foster growth through order and discipline, and treasure free will as important for mortal races. The SPs are about power. They like to encourage evolution through conflict and chaos. The strongest will prevail, and all that.

The problem both groups have now is that through free will of a group of humans, the balance has shifted towards the side of Good, and this threatens their truce. Until the coming Great Apocalypse, neither side is supposed to declare war on the other. Between Willow's spell and Angel destroying the L.A. office, the Senior Partners are pissed and the PTBs are scrambling to keep the peace."

"Can't we just kick them both out of our dimension and live our own lives?" Buffy interrupted again.

Giles sighed in frustration. "There's only one way to solve this – find the kidnapped Slayers before Wolfram and Hart kills them."

An unknown Watcher had a question. "As tragic as it would be for those girls to lose their lives, why is it so important to the greater good that they be rescued? By the look of the map, this will be a daunting task."

"Good question. The answer is this: When Willow did the spell to make all the Potentials Slayers; she used all the Slayer power. As in all there ever was and will be. You kill enough girls, it weakens all of you."

Everyone started speaking at once, the Slayers the most vocal.

"Prove it," Buffy demanded. "How do we know she's not a plant from Wolfram and Hart leading us into a trap?"

Charlotte nodded. "As you wish." Her eyes suddenly glowed white. She lifted her hand and whispered something, producing a giant image of the battle in the Hellmouth.

The images played before the assembly without sound. They watched Buffy get run through with a sword and fall. Chao Ahn and Amanda die. Faith overwhelmed and buried under Ubervamps. Other girls struggling for life. They watched as Buffy spoke to the First and got up, and suddenly the battle surged in their favor again.

The video faded away and Charlotte's eyes returned to normal. The group muttered amongst themselves. Buffy's gaze was directed at the floor.

Willow stood silent, stunned. Oz's eyes were only for her. He squeezed her hand in support. The evidence was plain as day. The power had _literally_ been shared.

Giles got back to business. "You took a calculated risk, but magic always has consequences. Especially when touching a power that great. We have a responsibility to every girl we've put in harm's way, no matter the consequences of the spell. As you can see on the map, through Miss Taylor's guidance, and reconnaissance reports, we've managed to locate the facilities where they are holding the girls. If you will hold your questions until I'm finished, I'll give you your assignments." He picked up a stack of folders. "Faith, your team will be infiltrating an underground silo in Kansas. Elena, since you're already familiar with the area, you'll be heading back to Romania." Giles passed the file to the Roma Slayer. "Does anyone speak Chinese?" he asked, searching the assembly.

Spike, Angel, and Charlotte raised their hands simultaneously. They looked at her, and she blushed.

"Excellent. Spike, Miss Taylor, Angel, and Andrew will head to Hong Kong." Angel grimaced, remembering the junior Watcher, but nodded.

"Now, hold on just a minute, Giles! If anyone goes with Spike, it's me," Buffy interjected.

"Not this time, Buffy. Slayers can't enter Hong Kong. I have another assignment for you." Giles turned to assign the next team, but Buffy continued arguing.

"Why the hell not?"

"He's right, pet. It's an old treaty, older than even the Poof over there."

Giles explained. "The Council made a treaty, a truce, with Long Shui 500 years ago. We would stay out of what is now known as Hong Kong, and he would let us know if there is a problem he can't contain. There isn't a single thing above or below ground that Long Shui doesn't know about. To send a Slayer into the city would be an act of war. That is why you're not going." (pronounced "shway") "Don't fight me on this, Buffy. He's an Immortal."

She smirked. "I've dealt with one of those before, and a Hell god."

Her Watcher sighed. "A _true_ Immortal, the very definition of the word. He can't be killed unless you blow up the bloody planet. Can I please get on with the assignments? We're wasting time."

Buffy sniffed and gestured for him to continue with a wave of her hand. _Why can't they go without him? Spike's __**my**__ boyfriend._

For his part, Spike didn't look too pleased, either, and he and Charlotte were avoiding looking at each other. Angel rolled his eyes, imagining how much fun they were going to be.

"Buffy, you'll be leading a team of Slayers into a compound in the Colorado Rockies. It's hidden deep in the mountains, so I've arranged for you to have a guide. Most of your journey will have to be on foot because of the steep terrain. The European groups already have their assignments, as I saw no need for them to fly here when they would have to turn back around, so that is all, for now." Giles turned to the Watchers he'd summoned. "The rest of you need to have your groups on high alert until this crisis is over. Go into hiding, if you have to."

There were murmurs of agreement and most already started to leave for their tasks. Those who'd been in Sunnydale at one time or another lingered. Nina was over speaking to Buffy. Dawn approached the Head Watcher, Connor in tow.

"What can we do, Giles?"

"Finish school." He made notes on a legal pad.

"Come on! These girls are my friends, a lot of 'em, and Connor has tons of fighting experience. We can help."

Giles pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "Dawn, the best thing you can do is not worry your family, so they're not distracted when they shouldn't be. Enjoy being young."

"I can do research! I'm good on the computer and with the books. Please, Giles…I still have two weeks off of school. That's a lot of time I can get into trouble while Buffy's gone, if I'm not kept busy…" Dawn persisted. Connor grinned behind her, loving that it wasn't him as the target of her pout this time.

"Oh, fine! You can help keep in touch with the teams and coordinate resources, _from here_. Nice and safe at the studio, yes?"

"I promise to stay in L.A. Thank you, Giles! You'll see. You won't know what you did without me." Dawn hugged him, then pranced away to talk to Vi and Faith.

The Watcher turned to the boy. "You're a brave lad, you know…"

Connor smiled wider. "It's worth it." He walked off to join his girl, leaving Giles to observe the rest in the lobby.

Spike and Buffy were now off in a corner quietly arguing, arms and hands gesturing wildly. Xander, Julie, Willow, and Oz were bent over the counter going through the contents of their file and already strategizing. He smiled at that. Miss Taylor and Angel were talking at the opposite end, closer to Faith's group. Her Slayers were relaying some story to the others, their leader not in a hurry to leave. He should have expected she'd want time with Angel before clearing out of L.A. again, but he always had to remind himself that Faith could be close to someone.

Giles had no clue what her relationship with Robin was currently like, other than that she trusted him to run the Cleveland cell in her absence. And oh, goody, Spike was now coming his way.

"Rupert…"

"No, Spike."

"You haven't even heard the question, Watcher."

Giles smirked. "Spike, I put you all together because you are already used to working together, and between the three of you, you should be able to keep Andrew alive long enough to get in and out of the Wolfram and Hart mainframe. Disabling their network is essential to the success of the other missions."

Spike crossed his arms over his chest. "Thought of everything, haven't you?"

"I have to. Lives are at stake." He walked away.

Buffy slumped in dismay as Spike shook his head in the negative. Giles was going to owe her big time for splitting her and her boyfriend up. Didn't he understand that they made a better team than alone? Maybe she could hijack her vampire when the boss wasn't looking.

She was just about to go give him a piece of her mind, when her spider sense started screaming _old vampire_. The other Slayers looked up at the same time, pulling stakes out of various places.

"Meeting adjourned already? You do work fast," the intruder said from up on the balcony. He stepped off the railing and made an effortless landing on the lobby floor.

The Slayers surrounded him.

"Stop! Don't hurt him, he's an ally," Charlotte exclaimed, busting through the circle.

"He's a _vamp_," Faith countered.

"Ooo, she's a feisty one!"

Charlotte clapped her hand over his mouth. "Simon, be quiet. He works for the Powers, alright?"

Spike walked up to the standoff. "No soul on you. What's your story, mate?"

"Well, that's a rather long tale, but what Miss Taylor says is true. The PTBs have my number. I'm here to help." He pointed at Faith. "You, precisely."

She smirked, flattered, then remembered she was supposed to be threatening him and resumed her stance. Buffy rolled her eyes.

The original Slayer's eyes narrowed dangerously as she approached the vampire. "How did you get past my girls to get in here?"

Simon smiled and shrugged. "Pretty much walked right in. Such a big building. Can't cover every nook and cranny, now can they?" His blue-green eyes changed to gold as he peered down at her. "If I meant you harm, Lady, you'd know it."

Buffy felt an involuntary shiver race up her spine. She'd just felt power coming off this vamp stronger than Dracula. Stronger than The Master.

Charlotte slapped his arm. "Will you quit? We don't have time for threats. Look, it's obvious we're not wanted." She turned to Giles. "Simon and I will carry out the Hong Kong mission. Then everyone's happy." Simon tugged on her sleeve and shook his head. _Oh, right…the vision. Okay, maybe not…_

"Oh, bugger this," he muttered, and grabbed the closest Slayer and dove for her neck. Instant head-splitting migraine.

"He has a chip?!" Buffy exclaimed. "Why didn't you say so?"

Charlotte huffed. "Because we're wasting _time_. Girls' lives on the line? Has everyone forgotten already? Yes, Simon has a chip. No, it's not the same as Spike had. You were Hostile 17, he was Hostile 1. The original experiment, the prototype, the beginning."

Simon pinched the girl he'd just let go of. "I can hurt a human, just not bite one. Doc didn't realize they weren't one and the same, much to my benefit upon escape. Are we done with this round of Show and Tell?"

"Quite," Giles stated. "We're always willing to accept another warrior for the cause, Mr.-."

"Cole. Simon Cole, late of Egypt most recently, originally of London." He bowed in courtly fashion. "And you are?" he addressed to Faith.

"Faith Lehane of Boston, currently Cleveland. The Powers want you to what, be my personal bodyguard? Cuz I can tell you right now, baby, I don't need one."

He smiled charmingly. "Eyes and ears, then. I only know where 'They' want me to go, not why. The fun's in the finding out," Simon replied. "Tell me about this mission you've been assigned…"

Crisis averted, Faith's Slayers toddled after her and the new vampire. Charlotte and Giles broke off to speak in private.

"I don't think she's telling us everything," Buffy said suspiciously, watching them walk away.

"Seers never do," Spike replied.

She turned to her boyfriend. "How bad do you think this whole thing is? Really. We've had the portents of doom and gloom, but it's not apocalypse season, yet. Yeah, we need to rescue our kidnapped girls, but then what? Willow can't undo her spell."

"Don't know the cosmic timetable any more than you do, pet, but think of a world without a single Slayer. She's not just the chosen girl at the time. She's a legend. Kill the legend, and what do demons have to fear?" He thought of Sunnydale when the Hellions had discovered the Hellmouth had no protector.

"Nothing. Okay…much badness. I just…I was really liking our life."

Spike pulled her into his arms. "I know, luv. Wish I had an easy solution for you, but there's only one way a Slayer gets rid of her Calling."

"Yeah. Partial retirement is all I can ever hope for."

"Come on. You need to meet with your girls and go over that file."


	6. Benched

Thanks so much for the reviews!

--

Chapter 5 - Benched

The hope was to distract W&H with the computer failures while rescuing the Slayers from various locations. Willow and Andrew had been designing a virus aided by magic since the New Council got started – it only had to be plugged in on site.

--

Spike had already been to his apartment and back with a packed bag, when he walked into the disaster currently known as Buffy's room. I think this qualified as "rage packing" – her coldest weather clothes had been pulled out of the drawer to land in a heap on her bed, and now were currently being stuffed into a duffle without being folded. _Definitely a pissed off Slayer_.

"Sweetheart, it's a week at the most, maybe two. Compared to previous apocalypses, this'll be a cakewalk."

"Easy for you to say," she grumbled. "_You_ get to go someplace exotic and exciting. _I'm_ going to be freezing my _ass_ off."

He palmed said ass. "Hope not," he purred. "I'm rather fond of this little ass."

She slapped his hands away. "Stop it. I can't believe you're going along with Giles' plan. Andrew doesn't need _three_ bodyguards!"

"That's only part of the mission. Wolfram and Hart is supposed to be holding Slayers there, too."

"'_Supposed to_', being the key phrase. I still don't trust this whole thing. Our forces are being scattered to the four winds. I can't shake the feeling there's something I should know." Buffy zipped the duffle closed and tossed her hair back.

Spike took her in his arms. "I'll see you soon, I promise, alright? Love you."

She leaned her head on his chest and tightened her arms around his waist. "I know."

--

Hours later, Buffy and her team were on a flight to Colorado. Giles' instructions had them landing one place, taking a smaller plane further in, then meeting their contact who was supposed to be waiting with a truck to take them into the mountains. Then, they'd hike.

Her second in command, Jessie, tapped on her shoulder. "I'm going to get drinks after visiting the restroom. You want anything?"

"Just a Diet Coke," Buffy replied. The younger Slayer nodded and left towards the front of the plane. Buffy thumbed through the file, then set it aside to flip through one of the airplane magazines.

She missed the Council jet. There was never enough room, to her, on commercial flights. Her limbs felt restless. She accepted the cup Jessie handed her with a smile, and glanced out the window as she sipped her soda, wondering how Spike was doing cooped up with Angel and Andrew.

--

Buffy didn't remember falling asleep…

She yawned and tried to stretch, before opening her eyes, but her legs and arms couldn't comply. Adrenaline surged as she opened her eyes and discovered her wrists and ankles were bound, and she was lying on her side…in a tent. A tent that was zipped shut and contained a glow light. Next to the light was a sheet of paper. She sat up and peered down at it.

_Dear Buffy,_

_Please don't be alarmed. Your contact will be there shortly by the time you awaken. Don't be angry with your Slayers – they were following my orders._

_I couldn't tell you at the Hyperion, but you are more important than you know. Your life and safety are essential to the continued existence of the Slayer line, like Faith. I knew that you would never volunteer to take yourself out of the fight, so deception was the only course within our time frame. I'm truly sorry there wasn't another way._

_An old friend of mine, Jack, will be picking you up and taking you somewhere safe. Even I don't know the exact location. I'm told it is quite comfortable, so I hope you will look upon this…circumstance as a vacation._

_Oh – your location is quite remote, so please don't try anything rash. _

_With apologies,_

_Giles_

She was going to _kill_ him the next time she saw him, oh, yes! How dare he!!

Buffy's hands had been tied together in front of her body, so she had the use of her fingers. She tugged on the zipper to open the tent and see where she was. It was almost dark. The tent was set up at the side of a road, which she hopped to the middle of. _Damnit._ Nothing but old road and pine trees and snow in either direction. The only sounds came from the forest, birds and little scurrying things.

Even if she could work her bindings loose, there was still no place to go. She had no idea which direction a town might be in, and she wasn't exactly a woodland expert.

With nothing else to do but wait, Buffy plopped her butt down in the tent, and waited.

"This sucks."

--

Buffy had managed to untie her feet and sing to _70 Bottles of Beer on the Wall_, when she heard a truck coming. She stood, ready to run or fight, waited to see what it would do. It was dark, so she couldn't see past the two pairs of headlights to make out the driver.

The truck stopped a few feet away, and shut off. Buffy got into a defensive stance as the driver side door creaked open, and the occupant stepped out of the vehicle. The headlights were left on.

"Buffy Summers?" a male voice asked, deep and smooth.

"Who's asking?" she called back.

"Rupert Giles arranged for us to meet," he replied. She saw that his hands were up in a gesture of harmlessness as he came around the truck. "Most people call me Jack."

Buffy kept her distance as he moved into the light so she could see his face. "You're an Indian?!" _Native American!, _a little Willow voice whispered in her head.

"Indigenous person, but close enough. I hope you haven't gotten too cold. I got a little held up coming to get you."

"How do I know you are who you say you are?" she asked suspiciously.

He tossed something he'd been holding in one hand. "Here."

She jumped back as the object hit the ground, then slowly approached it, keeping her eyes on the man. Picking it up, she learned that it was one of those cardboard folding frame things to hold a picture or two. Inside, there was a picture of this man and Giles, back when Giles was at the British Museum. It looked genuine, from what she could tell in this light.

"If it helps, he wrote me once with a story of you recognizing him as a Fyarl demon?"

_Well, I guess that cinches it. No one knows about that that wasn't there at the time._ "Guess you are for real. I'd appreciate getting this rope off my wrists…"

"Of course." He made a show of slowly pulling a small pocket knife from his back pocket, and approaching her in a non-threatening manner.

Buffy had to give him credit for respecting her Slayerness. She could see his face now, for the most part. Handsome, older than her, maybe thirty or so. He cut through the rope and put the knife away.

"How do you know Giles?"

He laughed. "Your inquisitiveness was also noted. Please get in the truck, Miss Summers."

She frowned. "Fine. But no funny business."

--

They drove up the road maybe another twenty minutes, to stop at a lone cabin slightly hidden by trees from the road. It looked well-kept, with the snow cleared all the way to the porch, and the plants trimmed back. Buffy could see smoke rising from the chimney.

"What is this place?"

"My home, most of the time." Jack locked the vehicle. He was carrying a large bag.

"Hey! That's my duffel! What are you doing with my luggage?! If you hurt any of my girls…"

"Whoa, Miss Summers. I picked this up _from_ your team. It's why I was a little late picking you up." He continued towards the cabin.

Buffy hurried to catch up. "But I don't know if you met with them, or intercepted them, do I?"

He sighed and stepped around her to take the three steps onto the porch. "Come inside, or not. It's your choice." He unlocked the door and left it open.

She paced for about five minutes in the cold darkness, before finally stomping inside and demanding, "I want to talk to Giles."

Jack was in the kitchen, and whatever he was heating up smelled good. "We're a bit remote, but you can try. You'll have to radio to town, then have to connect you to the outside. Or, you can trust your instincts and know I have no wish to harm you. Examine your bag for blood, if it will make you feel better." He said all this with his back to her, stirring a wooden spoon in a pot on the stove.

Buffy was spoiling for a fight, and his perpetual calm was infuriating. She stomped over to her duffel bag and started peering at the surface of it. Her logical side murmured that if Giles planned to have her stay here, he would provide for her clothing and stuff, but she was still pissed as hell that she was left out of the fight in the first place. Her luggage was clean, and Jack hadn't been armed except for that small pocket knife.

Which meant she really was stuck here indefinitely.

Buffy flopped down in an armchair and exhaled, loudly. "This sucks."


End file.
